Closure



Aug. 9, 1932.

CLOSURE Filed Feb. 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

JAMJJM wad/$772M F. G. THWAITS 1,870,973

Aug. 9, 1932. F. G. THWAITS CLOSURE 2 Sheet s-Sheet 2 iled Feb. 25, 1931 Jam 53% A TTORNEYJ Patented Aug. 9, 1 932 UNITED MSJTATLES, PATENT- OFFICE IBIIDEBICK G. THWAI'IS, OF WAUWATOSA, WISdONSIN', ASSIGNOR TO THE EEIL (20., i MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN cnosuan 1 Application filed February 25, 19:11. Serial 110.518.043.-

The present invention relates in general to improvements in the construction and operation of removable closures for openings in housings of various kinds.

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved detachable closure WhlCh is simple in construction andwhich is moreover highly efficient in operation.

Certain types of housings, such as tanks used -for the storage and transportation of milkor the like, must be provided wlthppenings for. permitting access to the interior thereoffor cleaning'and inspection purposes. It is necessar that. such housings or tanks be maintaine in highly sanitary cond1t1on, and any closure devices employed for the purpose of permitting access to the interiors of these tanks, must facilitatev the maintenance of such conditions while at the same seal.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide closure structure which may be conveniently cleaned and maintained in saniconditioln tang etill another ob ect of the invention 1s to 4 provide closure mechanism which is extremeand which pro 1y simple, com act and rigid in construction,

dbces least undesirable obstruction both when the closure is open or closed. A. further specific object of the invention is to provide a hi hly efiective internal closure which may manufactured and applied to a housing at minimum cost.

Another specific object of the invention is i to provide a removable closure structure which may be uickly and conveniently manipulated to eit er expose ;or close an openwithwhich it'cooperates'.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the-followlng detailed description.

A clear conception of an' embodiment of i the invention and of the mode of, constructing and of mani ulating devices built in accordance therew1th,'may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and .formin a part of this specificatlon in which like re erence characters designate the same or similarparts in the various views: 7

Fig. .1 is a central longitudinal section through a. fragment of a tank and through the closure mechanism associated with an openin therein, the section being taken along t e line 11 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction ofthe arrows, and the plate being shown in closed position;

Fig. 2 is an external plan view of the fragment of the tank and closure shown in- Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse central section through the tank fragment and closure of Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 4 is a part sectional view similar to that of Fig. 1, showing the closure plate removed to open position. j

While the improvement has been shown and described herein by way of illustration,

as being specifically applied in -a closure especially-applicable to the openings of milk storage tanks, it is not contemplated to limit the scope of the invention. The improvement is obviously more generally applicable to closures for openings in housings of 7 various types, and has added 'utility when applled to internal seatingsadjoining the openin such housings.

in fieferring generally --to the drawings, the

housing or tank 5 has one or more inspection openings 6 therein which :are customarily designated as man-holes. Each of the openings 6 may be provided with a metallic liner having a plane seating .7! disposed within the tank Sand surrounding the adjacent opening 6. A closure plate 8 which is pivotally supported at one end of a double suspension lever 9, is adapted to coact with an adjacent seating 7 as shown'in Fig. 1, or may beswung open as shown in Fig. 4. A bridge-beam or member 10 pivotally associated with the tank 5 is adapted to coact with the medial portion of the lever 9 through a removable pin 11 so as to force the corresponding plate 8 against its seating 7.

, The'tank 5 may be formed of double sheet posed between the sheets, and the seating liners may be r igidlynattachedmto the tank .sheetsbyw'lding or otherwise. The closure Ill plates 8 as well as the tank structure, are preferably formed of rust-resisting material which may be highly polished for sanitary reasons, and each of the plates 8 may be provided with a resilient seat 13 adapted to coact with the adjacent seating 7 to insure a perfect seal. While the opening 6 of the device shown in the drawings, is of elliptical shape, these inspection openings may be cir; cular or of any other desired formation.

The closure plate 8 is pivotally attached to the laterally extending end portions 14 of the lever 9, by means of a removable pin 15, and the portions l4vmay be rigidly connected by means of an integral cross-brace 16. The opposite end of the supporting lever 9 is pivotally attached to a supporting bracket 17 secured to the exterior of the tank at one side of the opening6, by means of a removable pivot pin 18, and theadjacent end of the bridgemember is likewise pivotally at tached to the same bracket 17 by means of a pin 19. While the lever 9. and member 10 have been shown as being pivotally supporte ed by means of independent pins 18, 19, it

may in some cases be desirable to dispense Withfone of these pivot pins and to utilize a single pivot for both of these elements. The bridge member 10 is adapted to span the opening .6 between the spaced side portions of the lever 9, and is provided with a medial socket with whichthe pin 11. is adapted to coact as shown in Fig. 1. The swinging end of the member 10 .is provided with a threaded bushing 20 with which a spindle 21 is adjustably' associated. The outer end of the spindle 21 is provided with a hand wheel 22,

and theopposite end thereof is formed for coaction with a socket 23 secured to the tank posite to the bracket 17 v When the elements of the closure struc- 5 adjacent. to the side' of the opening 6 opture are positioned as indicated in Figs. 1, 2

. turning the handwheel 22 to force the swingin%end of the member 10 outwardly.

y releasing the .spindle 21,"the coacting elements maybe loosened sufliciently to. permit free. withdrawal of the cross pinll, WhQreuPOn the beam member 16 may be swung away from the inspection opening 6 as shown in Fig. 4, and the lever 9 may be [metal with cork or other insulation inte1'. After the closure plate'8has been thus swung whereupon the plate 8imay be removedfrom the lever 9, and the lever 9 andmember 10.

-may likewise be removed from the bracket 17. By virtue'of the "elliptical formation of the opening 6, the closure plate 8 may then be freely removed from within the tank 5,

g the opening 6 being of greater major diameter than the plate 8 is of minor diameter.-

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a closure structure wherein the closure plate may be readily removed from the ad-.

jacent opening, or closed to provide a per,- fect seal. The structure may obviously be quickly. and conveniently dismantled for cleaning purposes, therebypermitting maintenance of the desired sanitary conditions. While being highly efiicient, the closure structure is extremely simple, compact and rigid in construction, and when the closure plate 8 is completely withdrawn from the opening 6, this opening is entirely devoid of obstructions except for the lever 9 which extends therethrough. The location of the closure plate 8 within the tank 5, obviously protects this plate against damage, and producesminimum projections at the exterior of the tank. While the elements of the embodiment of the invention specifically shown in the drawings, are especially adapted for horizontal swinging of the'lever 9 and the member 10 .while the pivot pins 15, 18, 19 are disposed vertically, the closure may obviously be disposed in any desired manner.

It should be understood that it isnot desired to limit the invention to the exactdetails of construction and to the precise mode of operation herein shown and described. for various modifications within the scope of the claims may occur to persons skilled inthe art. Y 1

It is claimed and desired to secure by Lett'ers Patent: x

1. In combination, an element having an opening, a closure plate for said opening, a. lever having one end pivotally associated with said element and having said plate supported from the opposite end thereof, and a member having one end pivotally associated with said;element at one side of said opening and having its other end adjustably asso ciated with said element at the opposite side of said opening, the medial ortion of said member being cooperable wit said lever.

2. In combination, an element having an opening, a closure plate for said-opening, a lever having one end pivotally associated with said element and having a'lateral extension at its opposite end pivotally connect ing said oppos te endwith said plate, and amember having one end'pivotally associated with said element at one side of said opening and having its other end adjustably associated'wit-h said element at the opposite side of said opening, the medial portion of said member being cooperable with said lever.

3. In combination, a tank having an opening and a seating surrounding said opemng with the exterior of said tank and cooperable' with said seating, a lever having one end pivclosed position, andmeans for adjusting said pivotally associated with said element and otally associated with the exterior of said tank and having its opposite end directed laterally through said opening, said plate being pivotally supported by said opposite lever end, a bridge member pivotally associated with the exterior of said tank and cooperable with the medial portion of said lever, and means for moving said bridge member to force said plate against said seating.

4. In combination, a tank having an open ing and a continuous seating extending 1nto said tank and surrounding said opening, "a closure plate having a resilient seat cooperable with said seating, a lever having one end pivotally associated with said closure plate and having its opposite end pivotally associated with said tank a member bridging saldhle associated with said opening and move tank on opposite sides of said openm and cooperable with the medialportion 0 Sand lever, and means for moving said member to force said plate into closed position.

5. In combination, an element having an opening, a closure plate, for said opening, a

lever having one end ivota'lly associated with.

said late supported said element and ha'vm from the opposite-endt ereo a mem r pivotally associated with said element and cooperable with said lever to tone said plateinto member relative .to said element.

6. In combination, an element having an opening, a closure dplate for'said ope 11 coacting with one si of said element, a fever with said plate to swingably support thelatter, a beam member movably associated with saidelement at spaced points on the opposite side of said opemng and enga. 'ng -said lever to force said plate into '01 means for moving said beam member relative to said element. i

,7. In combination, an element having an opening, a closure plate for said 9 'ng, a

lever pivotall associated with sai element and with sai plate to support thelatter, a

beam-member pivotally associatedcwith said position, and

element ad'acent' an end of said lever, said beam mem r cooperating with the medial portion of said lever to force said plate into closed position and means vfor adjusting the opening,a closure plate for said opening dis-.

posed on' one-side'of said element, a lever pivotally associated with said plate and with said element on the opposite side thereof, a beam member pivotall associated with said element adjacent to the pivotal connection between said lever and said element, a detachable connectiqn between said :beam member and themedial portion of saidlever, and means for adjusting said beam member relative to said element to force said plate into closed position.

9. In combination, an element having an opening, a lever pivotally associated with said element and swingable through said opening, a closure plate for said opening pivotally asso-. ciated with said lever, a beam member pivotally associated with said element and swingable away from said opening, means for dememberrelative to said element to force said plate into. closed ppsition with respect to said opening.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

FREDERICK G. THWAITS. 

